


Your Name on My Tongue

by DigitBuster



Category: Octopath Traveler (Video Game)
Genre: F/M, Hand Jobs, I'm still on my fluff bs baby, Porn with Feelings, Vaginal Fingering, Voice Kink, Why is this my longest fic I'm gonna start screaming
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-03
Updated: 2019-08-03
Packaged: 2020-07-29 19:16:12
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 9,769
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20087380
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DigitBuster/pseuds/DigitBuster
Summary: Therion is always behaving in ways that stump Tressa, but today is the strangest. What does he mean, "Don't say my name"? What else is she going to call him?!





	Your Name on My Tongue

**Author's Note:**

> What was supposed to be a cute idea spiraled out of control lmao

Bewildering Grace.

It was the newest skill Primrose had learned, and one she claimed was the second to last before she could call upon Sealticge for direct assistance. The skill itself was quite interesting. It was risk versus reward, capable of bringing them victory or defeat. It was as much of a blessing as it was a curse.

Today, Tressa couldn’t tell which it was.

One one hand, Primrose somehow managed to call upon a ferocious beast that annihilated their opposition in a single motion.

On the other, Therion had all the wind knocked out of him and was brought to his knees.

“Are you okay?” Primrose asks, an apologetic look on her face. “Can you walk?”

The thief coughs, but ultimately rises just fine. “...I can. Don’t worry.”

“Really?” Comes Alfyn’s voice, his curiosity evident. “You’re alright?”

“Yeah,” Therion looks himself over, checking for anything that could be out of place. “...Somehow I’m fine.”

“Shucks! That’s a first!” Alfyn laughs. “Usually that move leaves everyone worse for wear!”

“Well you don’t need to rub it in,” Primrose interjects, a pout on her lips. “Lady Grace does as she wants, not me.”

“Aw, geeze Prim. I wasn’t tryin’ to poke fun,” the healer grins, putting away the tonic he had taken out for Therion. “I’m just marvelin’ about how our thief managed to weasel his way out of divine will.”

She can’t keep the pout. It soon breaks away into a smile as she turns her gaze to the thief. “I suppose so. You’re quite the slippery thing, Therion.”

“Oh, ha ha.” A scoff. “Are we done here? That enough monster parts for you, Alfyn?”

“Sure is!” Alfyn picks up a discarded River Froggen hand and pushes it into his satchel. “I have enough for the family in town and a few extras.”

“And _ I _have enough Horse Fly legs to sell in town!” Tressa finally pipes up, wrapping them up and putting them in her bag. “You two are really the best!”

Primrose grins at the compliment. Therion, however, just grunts softly in acknowledgement. Tressa sighs, collecting her parts and standing upright. “What's up with you, grump?”

“I'm just waiting for us to go back to Saintsbridge,” he answers. “I have business to attend to.”

“The business of emptying pockets, I suppose?” Primrose asks, her tone playful.

“Why, dear Primrose! You know me so well.” Comes his equally playful reply. “Would you like to be my accomplice in this venture?”

“Tempting, but no. I plan to rest at the inn until dusk. When night falls…” She moves her hips and winks. “It’ll be my turn to take the stage.”

“Coooorny,” Tressa groans, though there’s no malice behind it. She then chuckles and turns to the taller man in the group. “What about you, Alfyn?”

Alfyn gives her a good natured smile. “I’ll be headin’ over to that family we met. After I mix some salves for ‘em, I’ll probably just hang out at the inn before dusk.” 

“Then what?” Therion asks teasingly. “Heading to the tavern, too?”

“You know it! Can’t resist a good drink.” He laughs.

“Is that so?” Primrose asks, her sights moving to Alfyn. “If that’s the case, how about I accompany you? It’d be better than staying in by myself.”

“Shucks, can’t say no to you, Prim!” The man laughs again, the slightest dust of red coloring his cheeks. He was so obvious.

“So Primrose and Alfyn are gonna stick together,” Tressa grins, looking over to Therion. “While me and Therion will head out into town, right?”

He gives her a look. His brows were furrowed, as if she had said something to offend him. The merchant raises her brow before frowning.

“Quit looking at me like that,” she huffs. “I’m not gonna follow you around.”

“...Right.” He sounded... distracted? Which was odd. Therion was one to make sure he kept his focus, because in a profession like his it meant life of death. “Just making sure.” 

Her scoffs and she faces away from him, nose upturned in mock disgust. “As if I’d want to be caught up in your schemes anyway.” 

“Now now, you two. Don’t start arguing,” Primrose chides playfully. She stands between the two, draping her arms over each of their shoulders and pulling them closer to her. “Alfyn and I are still here, you know. You can have your little quarrel when we leave.”

Therion, for all his impatience, stifles a laugh. Tressa pouts.

“Priiiiim…” She whines, gently shoving the older woman. “Quit teasing.”

The dancer chuckles, pulling Tressa closer and nuzzling their cheeks together. “But it’s what I do best~”

***

Alfyn and Primrose took off once they were back in town, giving small farewells to the other two before they left. Therion jokingly told the others to stay out of trouble as he departed. That left Tressa on her own to go sell her wares.

Selling them was easy. The people of Saintsbridge were receptive. Compared to her time in Quarrycrest, she could hold the crowd’s attention much easier. Maybe she adopted a bit of Ali’s technique -- honeying her words in order to stroke intrigue-- but that was neither here nor there. 

She made pitch after pitch, and in no time at all, her whole inventory was gone except for the parts. Those she sold to the blacksmith. Monster parts were common for smithing, and she knew beforehand the vendor was wanting for some.

With all her deals done, Tressa began to head back to the inn. She wasn’t particularly tired, but there wasn’t much she wanted to do outside anymore. Maybe she would catch a glimpse of her other four companions there. She hadn’t seen them since this morning, and a part of her wanted to ask what they were up to.

At that moment, she spots Therion.

She almost calls out to him, but she’s since learned that doing so was dangerous. She didn’t know when calling attention to him would put him in danger or not, so instead, she simply watches him. He strolls casually through the street, deftly relieving people of various belongings. He didn’t seem to care what he took, but she knew better. A thief needed to be focused with an idea of what to take on their mind at all times. Without that, it’d be like reaching your hand into someone’s pockets while they were looking right at you.

Without much thought behind it, she began trailing behind him. It wasn’t her first time doing so, nor was it going to be her last. It was a game of sorts to them. He’d be focused on his task, and she’d follow behind him, trying to remain undetected. When he _ did _catch on to her presence, he’d let her know. At first it annoyed him that she was watching him, but over time he grew to not mind it. He never admitted this verbally, but it was easy to tell with how relaxed he was whenever it happened now.

Her heavy bag today was a disadvantage, but she remained determined. She keeps her distance, not standing too close or too far, as she follows him throw the town’s streets.He continues his little plundering spree, starting with a man and his wallet. Then, it was a woman and her bracelet. She wasn’t surprised when his sights turned to a child, (he had relieved them of the healing grapes they were holding), but she _ was _surprised when he handed them a lollipop instead. Did that even count as stealing?

Therion pauses for a moment, as if considering something, then begins to make his way down the street again. He turns a corner, and Tressa hastens her steps so she can turn the corner after him. He’s nowhere to be seen once she does, although this doesn’t surprise her. Instead, she holds her hand out, placing the other on her hip and tapping her foot.

Some grapes are placed in her palm.

“Had fun?” Therion asks, expression stern.

“I guess.” She replies, popping one grape off its vine and into her mouth. “Whendya figure out this time?”

The stern facade fades, replaced with his usual amused smile. “When I stole that woman’s bracelet. Caught a glimpse of your hat.”

“Wh-- that was a while ago!” She responds, dismayed. “Why’d you wait!?”

“Cuz I wanted some grapes.” He pops a grape into his mouth, and she gasps. Even when they were talking, his hands kept moving, the little sneak! “And seeing you trying to sneak around, unaware that you were caught, was really funny.”

“You lasted longer this time, though. Even with this giant thing on you.” He pokes her bag. “Why don’t you use that artifact we got near Quarrycrest? It fit you pretty well last time.”

“_ Because _ , right now I want to be a merchant _ . _Not a thief.” She swats his hand away. “And! It puts me in an outfit that looks like yours. You don’t think that’d draw a bit of attention to you?”

“Fair.” He pops another grape into his mouth-- darn those nimble fingers! “Since you clearly have time to follow me around, I’m guessing you’re done?”

“Yeah.” She moves her hand away from him, looking unhappily at the one remaining grape in her palm. She pops it in her mouth. “And I’m guessing the same goes for you?”

He smirks. “You’d be correct. What you saw was only a small fraction of what I got done.”

Tressa rolls her eyes, but a small laugh follows. “Honestly, Therion. You’re a piece of work.”

He jolts a bit at that, smile faltering. His was clearly looking at her, but he seemed distracted again. Her brow furrows in concern.

“Hey, are you okay?” She asks. “You’ve got that look on your face again.”

“Look?” His hand hastily goes to his scarf, pulling it up halfway over his face. “I don’t have a look.”

Now he was just being stubborn. “Yes you do.” She tilts her head, trying to get a better look at his face. “It’s like you got something else on your mind.”

He didn’t seem to like that answer, because now he was glaring at her. Tressa backs up a bit, but keeps persisting. 

“I’m just saying, Therion--”

“S-Stop,” he commands, voice cracking. “Stop doing that.”

“Stop doing what?”

“Stop saying my name.”

It takes her a minute to register his request but once she does, she frowns. It’s not like it was hard to do, but it was just… ridiculous! And oddly specific, on top of that. Her mouth presses into a steady frown.

“..Why not? Do you have a problem with it?”

“Yes.” He hesitates, then backtracks. “Not exactly.”

She raises her brow, waiting for an explanation. However he didn’t seem keen on giving one, because the moment he saw she wasn’t going to say anything, he turned to walk away. She stares at him incredulously, and she lets her annoyance get the better of her.

“_Therion!” _

His whole body seemed to shiver, as if someone had just doused him with cold water. His shoulders sag, but he quickly whips around to give Tressa a warning glare. Unfortunately she didn’t focus on that. She was more concerned about the state of his face. 

“Are you sick?!” She gasps, stepping closer to him. “Your face is red!”

“No, I’m not sick!” He growls. “Leave it alone.”

“I won’t!” She grabs his shoulder and turns him towards her, an action that clearly took him off guard. His eyes were wide, laser focused on her and unmoving. He almost looked like a cat.

“If you’re sick with something, we should hurry up to Alfyn right away,” she continues, letting her hand fall from his shoulder. “You can’t keep being stubborn about things like this!”

That earns her another glare from him. He opens his mouth to say something, probably to insult her or argue further, but surprisingly he chooses to shut it. His brows furrow further, but there was something about the look that made it unreadable. She almost regrets raising her voice.

Then, in the quietest voice he could muster, he mutters: “Come on.”

Tressa blinks. Before she can ask any questions, however, he’s already taken her hand in his. She can feel warmth blooming across her face, but instead of making a fuss, she simply asks, “Are we seeing Alfyn?”

He shakes his head. “No. We’re going to your room.”

“My room?” It wasn’t unusual. The two often dropped by each other’s rooms when they stayed at inns. What started as a way to discuss the group’s finances turned into general talks. And that turned into whatever the two (sometimes more, they weren’t opposed to more company) wanted to do at that moment. Most of the time it was fun merrymaking, but right now there seemed to be a certain gravity to the situation that she couldn’t quite place.

She leans forward, concern evident on her face. “Are you sure you’re okay?”

He pauses, then shakes his head. “...I’ll tell you when we get back.”

She frowns a bit. She didn’t like how he was being vague, but that was just how he did things. “What if Ophilia is there?”

His reply is almost immediate. “Then we’ll go somewhere else.”

Still vague. A knot of worry forms in her stomach, but she ignores it and nods. “Alright.”

It didn’t take them that long to reach the inn again, but no one could deny that it was starting to get late. Much to her embarrassment, Tressa couldn’t deny the blush that settled on her cheeks either. She wasn’t sure who in the group knew and who didn’t, but it was clear that she harbored certain feelings towards Therion. She wasn’t keen on having them out in the open, so she hid behind biting remarks and quick wit to throw people off. But she knew it probably didn’t get past Therion himself. Neither of them were planning to address it (her out of embarrassment and him probably out of dismissal), but it just made this all the more awkward.

She noticed that Therion was blushing as well. He wasn’t one to show emotion on his face so easily, and she was wholly convinced it had nothing to do with her, so she drew the conclusion that he had come down with something. Whatever it was must be a big deal, judging by the fact that he’s hardly said anything since they started walking. She only hoped he would stop being stubborn and let Alfyn help him!

They entered the inn unceremoniously, quickly walking past the innkeeper without sparing so much as a glance. Now they were standing in front of the room Ophilia and Tressa shared. 

The merchant leans forward and raps her knuckles lightly on the door. They waited for a second for a response, and when none came Tressa digs the room key out of her bag’s pocket and unlocks the door. She opens it slowly and steps inside, watching as Therion steps in after her. Though he tried to look nonchalant, it was apparent in his gaze that he was still apprehensive about something. She closes the door behind them and waits. It was just silence between the two of them, hand in hand, and while it might have been nice in any other situation, it felt suffocating to at the moment. What was on his mind? What was he thinking about? What was going on with him?

She breaks the silence first, lifting the hand that was still holding onto his. “...So what’s this?”

“Nothing,” he replies, snatching his hand away. “It’s nothing.”

She frowns at that. He could at least _ try _to be polite about it.

Tressa sighs tiredly, slipping her bag off and placing it on the ground next to her bed. Then she hops on top of her bed, hand patting the space next to her. “Come on.”

Therion follows reluctantly. His movements were slow and deliberate, and when he sat next to her, he moved to cover his face with his scarf immediately. What was he being so shy for?

Again, silence persisted between them. She didn’t know what to say. Therion, as blunt and forward as he was, was a nightmare to deal with when it came to his own feelings and motivations. If it wasn’t disinterest or annoyance, Therion wouldn’t talk about it. It drove her crazy! With the hand holding, red face, and shy demeanor, she was _ certain _he was ill. Should she find a way to subdue him and bring Alfyn here? He was faster than her, but she still had Aeber’s Scimitar in her bag. If she could turn herself into a thief, she could match him easily.

She glances over to him and notes he isn’t facing her. He wanted to come in here, but now he wasn’t even looking at her! She could feel her annoyance creep up again as she reaches for her bag. Just a tap of the artifact and...

“I think there’s something wrong with me,” he finally admits with a sigh. 

She jumps, withdrawing her hand quickly. She’s worried for a moment about him noticing her reaching for it, but realized what he said was far more important.

“For real? Then why can’t I call Alfyn?”

“Because.” His voice was steady, lacking any real sense of urgency. “It’s embarrassing.”

“Embarrassing?” She scoffs incredulously. “Your health is more important than that! I’m gonna call him before he and Primrose--”

“_Tressa. _”

She stops, taken aback by the sudden forcefulness of his voice. She begins frowning again out of frustration, but it comes across as more of a pout than anything else. His gaze lingers on her, expression still completely unreadable, before he hastily turns away. He clears his throat and pulls his scarf up higher. “It has to do with you, Tressa.”

There’s a beat of silence between them. Therion’s mouth pulls downwards into a frown, clearly displeased with what he was about to say next.

“...When you say my name…” He starts, seemingly hiding more in his scarf. “...when you say it… I feel…”

He turns to her slightly, catching her gaze. He flushes further, and fixes her with a glare under her scrutiny.

“Quit looking at me like that.”

Of course. If she didn’t keep the conversation on track, he was bound to try and avoid it. “What is it about your name, Therion?”

She expected the jolt, because he seemed to be doing it a lot recently. What she _ didn’t _expect was the way his eyes fell closed during it, or the way he shivered and sighed gently as if he was about to completely go slack.

She definitely didn’t expect the look he gave her afterwards, either.

It was only there for a split second, but there all the same. His eyes were clouded over and hazy, lips slightly parted as gentle breaths escaped him. There was a certain _ want _in his gaze that, while she wasn’t experienced with it, she had an inkling as to what it meant.

This man was getting off to the sound of her voice.

“Theri--” She stops herself and instead places her hand on his shoulder. “Um-- hey.”

He blinks. 

She can see his delayed panic as he darts backwards and covers his face with his hand. He was frowning at her, but she knew it was out of embarrassment more than anything. He stammers a bit, trying to figure out how to respond to her, but she figures she should just get right to the point. She brings her hand to her mouth and clears her throat, keeping her gaze on him steady.

“You’re getting off to me saying your name, right?”

His jaw drops. Clearly, he didn’t expect her to catch on so fast.

“Er.. yeah.” His voice wavers a bit, and he was still somewhat tense. “That’s what I’ve been trying to say.”

“I see.” She nods. “That’s... Something else.”

Therion sighs, but his response is cut short. His eyes narrow, scrutinizing her expression with a degree of concern she’s never quite seen from him before. “Are you alright? Your face is completely red.”

Tressa blinks. She touches her cheek and sure enough, she felt like she could heat the entire room. She laughs nervously, cupping her hands over them in an attempt to hide the growing redness.

“I’m fine!” She wasn’t. “It’s just-- a shock! It’s surprising!”

This development was bizarre, there was no denying it. But she couldn’t say that she minded it either. It didn’t quite bring her joy, as Therion was no doubt uncomfortable to some degree, but the idea of him getting weak in the knees because of her...

The mere thought made her heart skip a beat, as well as fill her head with many _ many _inappropriate ones.

“A-anyway…” Curse her inexperience with this! She knew her emotions showed all over her face, and was certain Therion could read her like a book. “_ I _didn’t do anything. I haven’t done anything to myself or... to you.”

“...Is that so…” he murmurs. “Then what the hell is wrong with me…?”

There was another swath of silence. It’s not as tense as the last, but definitely more awkward. Thankfully, Tressa was too occupied in her thoughts to really care about the silence as it stood now. Memories of the day flashed by in her head, each event leaving as quickly as she recalled them. There had to be something! Something that set this day apart from the rest...

As if by some miracle, they turned to each other with a knowing expression and a simultaneous answer: “Primrose.”

“It must have been when she used Bewildering Grace!” Tressa exclaims. “Instead of knocking you out, she did this!”

“Great,” Therion groans in reply. “So what I thought was a lucky break was actually Primrose damning me to be horny.”

At that, Tressa snickers. Therion gives her a warning look, but it soon dissolves as he starts snickering as well. That was good. She hated when it was awkward between them.

“Let’s ask Primrose, then!” 

“No.”

A groan. “Why _ not? _”

“She didn’t recognize it when it happened. So she probably doesn’t know how to fix it, either.” 

Tressa groans again, resting her chin in her palms. “And it’s not really an ailment, so Alfyn probably wouldn't know either…”

She wracks her brain for a minute, then springs up hopefully. “What about Cyrus? Maybe he’s read something about this!”

“Absolutely not.” Therion’s expression soured. “Cyrus is the last person I want to tell.”

“What?! Why not?!”

“Because I’m _ not _dealing with his impromptu lectures while trying to figure this out.”

“But _ Therion-- _”

There was a small gasp, a shiver, and Therion going to cover his mouth. Tressa winces, offering up a small, “Sorry…”

She’s expecting a glare when he looks back at her, but it’s not there. Instead it’s something more... docile. Harmless.

Something more needy.

Again, warmth spreads across her face, and she _ knows _Therion can see it. She begins talking again, trying to not only divert attention away from how he was looking at her, but also from how her thoughts seemed to head straight into the gutter at the sight of him.

“...What I was _ going _to say is… if we find a shrine, like the one near Quarrycrest, it’d do more good than harm to let the others know what could happen.”

She can’t just ignore it. She can’t ignore his hazy gaze, or how the desire in his eyes seemed more intense. His mouth was hanging slightly open, moving ever so slightly with each exhale. She can hear how his breathes came heavier, see how his shoulders rose and fell more visibly along with them, and she swears she if he leaned any closer, she’d faint on the spot. 

“...Yeah… we can tell them…” He straightens up and clears his throat. The blush on his face deepens further, signifying his steady loss of composure. “We can tell them… _ after _we fix this.” 

“Alright.” The air between them was dizzying. She didn’t want to say it out loud for fear of making things awkward, but the way he looked, the way he was carrying himself right now, it scattered her thoughts every which way. She was determined to stay focused, but the current situation coupled with her already budding affection made it difficult. “And just _ what _is your plan to fix this?”

His brows furrow thoughtfully. She can tell he’s still distracted by the unfocused look in his eye, but she doesn’t comment on it.

...It was unfair how cute he looked. Therion was already an attractive man, but she couldn’t deny the way the flush had settled on his cheeks made her stomach do flips. He was unfocused due to the pleasure buzzing beneath his skin, and even though he made sure to always compose himself before talking, the small moment between distraction and recovery was something that endeared her all on its own. She felt bad for finding him cute in a situation like this. It shouldn’t be her. It should have been something he harbored some sort of affection toward.

She sighs, her sights falling to her hands. Now she had gone and made herself upset for no reason. She looks over to him, only to see that he had taken it upon himself to lay back on her bed.

“Uh… hey?”

He blinks slowly and looks over to her. “Mhm…?”

“Did you…” She swallows. “Did you think of what to do?”

“Huh…? Oh, yeah.” He stares back at the ceiling. “I think… I’ll just get off and finish.”

At first, she’s at a loss for words. A blush explodes on her face, and she can swear it was currently hotter than any of the fire spells the thief was able to cast so easily.

Then, she laughs.

She couldn’t stop it. One moment she was completely taken aback, speechless by his bluntness. The next, laughter bubbled from her chest and spilt forth without constraint, causing her to double over. She holds her sides, trying to steady herself so she didn’t tip off the bed completely.

Therion props himself on his elbows to stare at her. For a brief moment she stops laughing. She tries to compose herself, giving Therion the most neutral expression she can muster.

It all falls apart when a snicker escapes him.

The laughter returns in full force, causing her to double over once more. Therion falls back, now covering his face with both arms. She’s heard him snicker, she’s heard him chuckle, but rarely has she heard him _ laugh _the way he is now. Normally this topic would embarrass her and disinterest him, but the ridiculous circumstances and equally as ridiculous conclusion had sent them into a fit of laughter unprecedented to either of them.

“Why would that help?!” Tressa chokes out between laughs, her hand reaching over and smacking his stomach. “You think it’s a magic switch or something?!”

He wheezes at the blows, but what follows is even more laughter. “You never know! With something as dumb as Bewildering Grace, it might as _ well _have a dumb solution like that!”

His answer sends Tressa into hysterics. She howls with laughter, falling back against the bed alongside him. Of course, of _ course! _ Of _ course _Therion would think up an answer like that, the idiot!

It’s a while before the laughter between them begins to die down. Tressa wipes stray tears that had clung to her eyes, a few residual giggles still passing her lips. “If that’s your plan, I won’t stop you. You’re a grown man, and I wanna see if it works.”

She sits up and stretches. “It was starting to get dark by the time we were coming back. Do you think Alfyn and Primrose have left yet?”

“Probably.” The thief exhales slowly. His hands come to rest on his stomach. “If I had to guess, I figure the others will be going over too if they aren’t already there.”

“You’re right,” Tressa says, looking back to him. “Should I check your room to make sure?”

There was a pause. Therion stares at her, seemingly scrutinizing her face before looking up at the ceiling.

“....No.”

“No?” She gives him a playful smile. “You gonna check yourself?”

“No.”

Tressa blinks. He begins to sit up slowly. Even though his scarf wasn’t hiding his face anymore, she still couldn’t read his expression. There was a touch of apprehension in it, and that by itself was a look so alien to Therion that she was already growing concerned.

“Then… what are you going to do?”

He doesn’t respond right away. Instead, he breathes deeply as if to steel his nerves. Therion? Nervous about something? And _ showing _it? Maybe he was sick after all.

“Tressa. I… have a question.” He was speaking carefully, she couldn’t help but notice. It wasn’t odd for him to deliberate like this, but his hesitation is what sets this moment apart. “A favor to ask, actually. You don’t have to say yes.”

Tressa swallows, her throat suddenly feeling tight. “Yeah…?”

“Do you…” He starts, trying to maintain eye contact. “...Do you… want to…”

She can see him search for the right words to say, only for frustration to take him and make him give up. Honestly, It worried her that Therion couldn’t find the words for his request. He only seemed to trip up when he had to express something genuinely, and while she’s touched he wanted a genuine favor from her, she’s not sure she could handle the weight of it right now given the--

“Do you wanna help me?”

Bifelgan help her.

The question brings a flush to her face like a fire. A burst of red blooms across her cheeks, spreading all the way up to her ears and down to her neck. He’s still staring at her, expecting, but him looking so _ earnest _ is what trips her up the most. He _ always _had walls up. Any hint of vulnerability was accompanied by a bark and bite.

And yet tonight, he was letting himself be somewhat vulnerable. No bark, no bite.

A million responses came to mind. She lacked experience. There were others suited better for the task than she was. Just because it was _ her _ voice didn’t mean it had to be her. It didn’t _ have _to be her. It didn’t have to be her if he didn’t want it to be. Why would he want it to be? Why her?

“Why me…?” Comes her unintentional murmur. The realization hits quickly, and she attempts to backtrack. “I- I mean, I’m not against it. I just want to know… why you’d choose me.”

The question seems to surprise him. His hand reaches towards his scarf and pulls it up out of habit, and he casts his sights downwards. After a moment, he speaks.

“Because out of anyone here, I want it to be you.”

_ Bifelgan, help her. _

“That doesn’t-- I mean, that doesn’t explain--” Gods, she felt uncomfortably hot. Uncomfortably _ tense. _ He had just confessed something that held some _ serious _implications, and she wasn’t sure how to feel about it. Why was he suddenly opening up about this? Because he was hot under the collar?

Instead of asking any of this, however, she blurts out, “I’m not very experienced. I’ve only read books, and none of them were very good. I only have vague ideas of what to do.”

There was a pause. She could feel her cheeks burn in the wake of her admittance to inexperience. Gods above, why couldn’t she posses Primrose’s grace right now?

He smiles, and to her surprise, there’s no hint of the sarcasm she’s used to from him. The thief gently grasps her hand and gives it a gentle squeeze.

“That’s fine,” he responds. “I won’t push you to do anything you don’t want to.”

She nods. She wasn’t against the idea. It was mostly her nerves that stopped her in her tracks, but if she could just put the worries to the side for a moment, to just imagine what it’d be like to touch him, to hold him, to have him gasp and cry out because of her...

“...Therion…”

He shudders with a soft groan, his grip on her hand tightening. The hazy look returns along with the audible breathing, and she concludes that yes, she wants to see more of it. She wants to push him further, to see him whine and moan and writhe because of her. She knew she couldn’t do it very well with her inexperience, but by the Flame, she was going to try.

She doesn’t expect him to speak, however, nor did she expect how desperate or needy he sounded.

“_Tress_,” he gasps, his voice almost a whine. “Tress, please…”

‘Tress’ was Alfyn’s nickname for her. It was a term of endearment, and when it came from him it made her feel warm and happy, like seeing her family after a long time.

But when Therion said it, with lust dripping from his voice, it nearly drove her mad. She wasn’t experienced. She was still scared of messing things up and leaving their relationship worse for wear. But right now, she put those worries aside.

Tonight, she was helping Therion, and maybe having some fun doing so.

“I’ll help you.” She brings their clasped hands to her lips, kissing the back of his. “Therion.”

She can see the shiver run down his spine when his name was said, followed by the nod soon after. She’s surprised he’s not more aggressive. She figured someone prideful like Therion would want to take the initiative and please himself to his heart’s content, but at the moment he was just staring at her, ideas _ clearly _ in his mind, but none of them being acted on. Maybe he was being patient because of her earlier apprehension? Or maybe, he was so distracted by his own pent up pleasure that he didn’t care _ how _ it was taken care of, only that it _ was. _

Whatever the reason, she wasn’t going to dwell on it. She takes her hand away from Therion’s and places both firmly on his shoulders. Using his current submission to her advantage, she pushes him onto his back. There’s a look of surprise, and her heart squeezes. He looked so adorable-- wide eyed, flushed, and panting -- that she couldn’t help but curse herself again. Lady Grace brought this circumstance to her but damn, why couldn’t she have helped her out as well?

Her hands move to unwind his scarf from around his neck, earning her a small grunt of protest. She’s quick to ask, “What’s the matter,” but she doesn’t get an answer. Instead she gets an embarrassed huff, followed with a mumbled, “Nothing,” and she chuckles. In her boldness she leans forward and nuzzles his cheek, earning a pleased sigh.

Once she gets the scarf off she tosses it to the side, working on his mantle next. Thankfully it was held together by a single button, one that she easily undid in order to open it up. She tugs at it and he lifts himself up slightly so she can slide it away and place it on top of his discarded scarf.

Her hands reach for his shirt, but soon stop. _ Should _she just go for it? Maybe she should go for his pants? Something else? Gods, if only she could remember what was in those stupid books!

“Therion,” she breathes, watching as he whines and shifts. “Tell me what I should do.”

She begins trailing her hand over his chest, delighted to see how reactive he was to it. There’s a shuddering breath and a nod, followed by one of his hands coming up and grabbing her hat. He tosses it aside before trailing the same hand down to her cheek.

“Lean forward.”

She nods, obediently leaning closer. Another question was on her tongue but his other had shoots up, pulling her face down and guiding her lips to his for a hungry kiss.

It was obvious she didn’t know how to kiss, but she wasn’t that worried anymore. Therion said inexperience was fine, and she could try and learn from him in the moment. She could feel him tilt his head, his lips moving against hers roughly in a way that sent jolts of anticipation throughout her whole body. She was starting to feel hot, and swore that if she stayed an extra second longer in her dress, she would melt into a puddle right on top of him.

Shyly, she begins copying his movements. She tries to move her lips with his, tries to bring her hand up to his hair to run her fingers through it, tries to recall any of the actions she had read in those ridiculous smut novels. When she does, she can hear his muffled giggle and feel him smile, which in turn causes her to giggle as well. Therion pulls her head back, now grinning.

“Don’t laugh,” he says. “You’ll distract me.”

Tressa scoffs playfully. “You laughed first!”

At that, Therion chuckles. “Yeah, because you’re cute.”

She’s stunned by the comment, and he uses that to pull her down again. His lips are warm (softer than she had imagined, too) and all too eager to press against hers. The best she could do was clumsy reciprocation, but he didn’t seem to mind. In fact, he seemed to be smiling again. It made kissing him a little more awkward, but she didn’t dare say so. She would hate for him to start trying to hide his emotions in a moment like this.

He continues kissing her and she continues to kiss back, eagerness never faltering, right up until the point where she felt something warm and wet slide across her lips. It took her a minute to get the message, but she _ did _, and when she did, she chose not to hesitate or to question. She opens her mouth slowly, and it didn’t take long for him to take advantage of it. Gods, he was making her skin tingle with heat.

Tingling that, perhaps, started to pool elsewhere as well.

His hands begin to move past her cheek, down her neck, and over her shoulders, sending shivers of pleasure throughout her body. Gods, she could get addicted to this. Who wouldn’t? His touch alone was enough to light her body on fire, something those trashy books clearly failed to capture the intensity of.

His hands continue to trail downwards, stopping at her waist when he realized he couldn’t move forward. He whines into the kiss, bringing one hand up to her cheek and gently pushing her away. She catches on and breaks away from him, mildly shocked by her own shortness of breath.

“Move on top of me,” he commands, breathless. “Sit on top of me, Tress.”

She nods. She quickly lifts her leg up and moves it over him, sitting back down so that she was straddling his waist. What she didn’t forsee, however, was something firm pressing against his rear, nor the sharp inhale he took when it did. She quickly back moves up, panicked. “Did that hurt?”

“No,” he replies, voice straining a bit. “The opposite, really.”

Aelfric the Flamebringer, keep Ophilia out of this room for the night.

She sits back down again -- rear pressing against the hardness in his pants -- and shudders at the feeling. She didn’t want to be weird about it, but feeling him against her like this only added to the dull aching want she felt between her legs. She’s no stranger to it. There have been times where she’s taken matters like this into her own hands, so to speak. But tonight it was different. Tonight she was with Therion.

Therion, who, in an instant, wraps his arms around her and pulls her back so that she was laying against him.

She squeals and giggles, and to her surprise he starts giggling as well. He peppers her cheeks with kisses, hands trailing down her sides to rest comfortably at her hips.

“I’m going to move,” he says. “Is that okay?”

She nods eagerly. “Yeah, that’s fine.”

And so he does, moving her slightly so that he could grind against the junction between her legs.

By the _ gods, _it felt fantastic.

She couldn’t stop the whine that escapes her lips, nor could she stop the other whimpers that follow. Before she wasn’t fully aware of how wound up she had already gotten, but the rhythm of his hips, the warmth, the friction, it clued her in all to well or her current arousal. Tressa gasps as he moves, her hips beginning to follow along, her breathing becoming hot and heavy as she tried to keep up with the sensation best she could.

She mumbles his name and it draws a loud moan from him. She repeats it, over and over, just to hear his voice cry out. She wants to hear it wrapped up in pleasure, struggling to stay even, calling her name without pause as if pleading for something more. There’s an increasing wetness between her legs, along with a desperate growing _ want _for something to tend to it.

Tressa leans forward, capturing Therion lips again as she continued to move in a rhythm. He moans, returning the kiss eagerly as he keeps his hips moving. He was irresistible. She wants to see more.

Her hand slides under his shirt to feel his skin, and again, he shudders and gasps audibly. It’s almost by instinct that she thumbs his nipple, rolling small circles over the sensitive skin. He moans again, muffled by her lips, holding her tightly as he jerked his hips up into her.

He chooses to break away, breath ragged and eyes completely clouded over by lust.

“_T__ress, _ ” he moans. “ _ I need more. Please. _”

Gods, even his voice going under was a treasure in itself.

She nods and, reluctantly, stops moving her hips. Therion whines in protest, trying to redouble his efforts in an attempt to get her moving again. She would have laughed, and she’s tempted to just continue like this. But as much as she wanted to continue indulging this way, she _ does _remember that the original purpose was to try and help Therion.

She moves to sit between his legs, finally ready to tackle the tent in his pants. 

But first she had to… actually figure out how to take off his pants.

She stumbles with it, a light swear escaping her as she undid the sash only to be met with another. Godsdammit, why did he _ insist _on wearing his clothes like this? It’s not much, truthfully, but she swore she could get off anyone else’s pants easier than his!

After a bit more stumbling she finally manages to undo everything around his waist. She grabs his waistband, eyes trailing up to Therion for silent confirmation. He props himself up on his elbows, expression showing that he was more than willing to let her continue.

Despite that, his words somewhat contradicted it. “Don’t push yourself.”

“I’m not.” She replies, pulling his pants down to reveal his smallclothes. To her surprise, there was already a wet stain on it. “It’s fine.”

He nods, but still kept himself propped up. Tress keeps her gaze on him before shying away slightly. Did he really have to look at her like that now? Right when she was about to remove his clothes?

“Remember, I’m new to this,” she reminds him, bracing herself. “Tell me if I mess up.”

He nods mutely, gasping when she tugs his smallclothes down and his erection bobs free. 

“Right,” comes his belated reply. He then chuckles. “Not much to mess up, though.”

“Oh hush,” she tuts with a smile, slowly taking him in her hand. “Be a good boy and be quiet.”

He grunts quietly, body melting under her touch. She liked that. Aside from him continuing to look like the most beautiful human in all of Orsterra, she liked the idea that he was relaxing around her. Even if it was in a different manner than usual.

The first thing she notices is that there’s already something leaking from the tip. She doesn’t remember what it’s called, but thankfully she knows it’s nothing to be worried about. She lets go of him to lick her palm before bringing her thumb to the tip of the head. She then smears the clear fluid down his shaft, causing him to jolt and groan her name. Tressa smiles at the reaction, now slowly pumping her hand.

He moans, louder this time, and begins thrusting his hips upwards. He’s going faster than she is, and she wonders if she should try to match his pace. He’d certainly cum faster that way.

So she decides against it.

She moves out from between his legs, keeping her pace steady and she lounges next to him. Therion looks over to her, eyes bleary from pleasure, and reaches out to grab her dress. It’s a silent request, one she’s only seen once before

He’s asking her not to leave.

She smiles gently at him, moving her free hand to brush some of his hair away from his face. She hovers over him, gently kissing his forehead as she drew forth more moans from him with her hand. She continues giving gentle kisses like this -- to his cheeks, eyelids, anywhere she could reach, really -- all while pumping slowly. Therion moans at the sensation, face twisted with desperation and pleasure, but she can catch brief glimpses of a smile every now and again.

It made her heart melt.

He continues rolling his hips up into her hand, her name accompanied with small pleas falling from his tongue. He seemed to be a little frustrated with her slow pace, but she had no plans to change it. At one point she tightened her grip and he let out a choked whine, his hips moving faster despite his legs shaking. It was, quite frankly, addicting. Seeing his face scrunched up in pleasure, his eyes shut tight but mouth open and panting, only served to stroke the flames of arousal in her further. His voice only gets louder, strangled with pleasure and riddled with moans. If he was trying to stop himself, he was failing. He pleads with her to go faster, grip harder, to do anything to push him over the edge and grant him that release he was so close to.

She decides to humor the idea a bit, tightening her grip and quickening her pace so that it wasn’t painfully slow. He chokes out a moan and smiles, words of thanks escaping him in bits in pieces. He fucks into her hand desperately, whining, writhing, feeling something but not enough.

She could tell that he was almost there. He needed one final push to get what he wanted.

“Do you want to cum?” She asks, her voice low.

“_Please, _ ” he moans in response, his hips thrusting harder. “_Please, Tressa. _”

She couldn’t help the devilish smile that came to her lips. “You can cum now, Therion.”

That seemed to do the trick. He cries out at the sound of his name, thrusting his hips upwards one final time as thick white streams erupted from his cock. She can’t place why but she doesn’t stop moving, pumping him continuously as his cum falls over his abdomen and onto her hand. She watches with interest as it twitches in her hand, emptying out before going from fully erect to flaccid in a matter of minutes.

Weird.

She releases him slowly, looking over her hand as the reality of their tryst (if she could even call it that) starts to sink in. She swallows and looks over to Therion, watching as he came down from his orgasm. He shudders a bit before smiling lazily, and she swore she could see the tension roll off his body as he relaxed.

Despite the situation, he looked angelic.

Tressa begins wiping her hand on her dress, eyeing the thief carefully. She was still rather worked up from everything, but attempts to force it down. After all, this wasn’t about her, it was about… 

“Therion.”

He blinks and looks over to her. There’s a question on his tongue but she can see how it fizzles away when the realization hits him. He laughs, placing his hands on his face in an attempt to hide his wide grin.

“Unbelievable.” He uncovers his face and looks at her. “It worked.”

“Seriously?” She laughs. “Weird!”

“But convenient,” he adds, sitting up. He looks himself over, gingerly pulling at his shirt and smiling sheepishly. “Sorry for the mess, by the way.”

“It’s fine,” Tressa replies, eyes scanning his abdomen. “...I kind of expected more, to be honest.”

“Let me guess. Your novels?”

“‘Gallons of spend drenched her dress, leaving the whole outfit a mess,’” She recites.

That elicits a snicker from Therion. He shakes his head. “Still didn’t think you were the type to read smut.”

“Oh shut up.” She gives him a good natured grin. “Like _ you _haven’t.”

“Touche.” He grabs his mantle and begins wiping himself off. “But, I have more practical experience in the matter.”

“I believe it,” she admits. She turns her sights away from him. “Who wouldn’t want to sleep with you?”

He pauses and gives her a look. It was questioning at first, but soon morphed into something more playful. The thief throws his mantle back onto the bed and pulls up his pants, eyes studying Tressa before settling near her hips.

“You know, Tress,” he starts, a hand coming to cup her cheek. “...I don’t think you finished.”

Just like that, the fire in her gut was alight.

Her cheeks flush again, and suddenly she’s all too aware of the throbbing at her center. How was he able to set her off with just a phrase?

“You don’t have to--” she stammers, trying to turn away again. “You don’t have to, I can take care of it--”

“But I _ want _to.”

Sweet Lady Sealticge.

Her voice catches in her throat. Suddenly she’s unable to speak, her cheeks on fire and the want between her legs slowly growing. All she can do is nod dumbly at his response.

And he laughs.

It’s not teasing or mean spirited. Rather, it’s genuine. Gentle. A laugh that, like many things tonight, she’s never heard from him before. It makes her heart flutter.

“You don’t have to be nervous, Tressa,” he reassures, his hand gently grabbing her chin and turning her sights back to him. “I’m not going to make fun of you. I’ll return the favor, no teasing, no waiting.”

“Okay,” she replies, barely above a whisper. Then, working up the courage, she replies again. “Alright.”

He smiles and moves his hand away from her chin, bringing it downwards to meet the other at her waist. He pulls her onto his lap, facing her sideways and beginning to place kisses on her neck. She shudders with each one, heat lingering at each spot like tiny sparks. It was gentle and nice, but it wasn’t _ enough, _and before she can stop herself she suddenly finds her voice again.

“More…”

He’s shocked for a moment, but it doesn’t last long. He smirks and gently nips the side of her neck, coaxing out more whines from her. He trails down near her shoulder, moving her collar out of the way and gently biting down to suck.

It stung at first, but she was hardly focused on it. No, she was focused on his hand, the sneaky thing, and how it somehow managed to pop her vest open in order to cup her breast underneath. It begins kneading, sending surges of pleasure throughout her entire body and drawing out a loud whine from her lips. She wriggles in his grip, mumbling another plea for him to go further. 

And he did.

The hand still on her hip trails further down, reaching the hem of her dress. He slips it underneath and begins hiking it, brushing against her skin on its way to its destination. Once he’s there he moves it over her shorts, gently pressing a finger against her clothed folds and causing her to cry out. He smirks and repeats the action, watching as Tressa shivers in response. The pleasure throbbing there was almost too much to handle.

“I’m going to use my fingers,” he mumbles, pressing a kiss to her cheek. “Okay?”

She nods.

He smiles and leans forward, capturing her lips. It was a lot different from earlier. Before he seemed ravenous, eager to take any bit of pleasure he could for himself. Now, he was calmer, gentler, still eager but not overwhelmingly so.

It was sweet.

Therion pulls her shorts down, fingers now gliding over her folds. He presses against them, rubbing just outside her entrance, teasingly rubbing circles everywhere but not quite getting to where she _ really _wanted

“_Therion_,_” _she whines, embarrassed by the sound of her voice. “Please. D-don’t tease me.”

“Sorry,” he responds. “You’re too pretty like this.”

She chuckles and rolls her eyes, but it was soon replaced as a soft keen when she felt his thumb pad over her clit. Before she can voice her pleasure he’s already rubbing circles around it, the hand on her chest continuing to squeeze indulgently. She can feel something familiar build up inside her, and she doesn’t know whether to be embarrassed or relieved that it was coming so soon.

She feels a finger gently push at her entrance and she moans, hips bucking forward to meet it. Therion must have found it funny, because she can hear his charming laughter against her neck. But he’s quick to get to work, gently pushing his fingers in and out of her entrance, working her to climax.

She couldn’t help rocking against him. She couldn’t help how her voice seemed to climb in pitch with each utterance of his name, or how she seemed to melt against his grip. Her mouth hung open as the hand on her breast continued to knead as it pleased, occasionally playing with the sensitive and stiffened nipples that managed to peek out even through her cotton bra. The one between her legs continued to work her, brushing against her clit and pushing fingers in deeper. Eventually he slips another finger in, gently pumping them as she steadily climbed closer and closer to her peak.

She lost track of everything around her, even her own voice. All she could feel was the hand skillfully pumping between her legs, the hand indulging on her chest, and the feeling of Therion’s lips on her neck. Pleasure buzzed on her skin, each touch leaving her feeling weaker than the last.

“Tressa,” Therion mumbles, returning the gesture from earlier by nuzzling her neck. “Are you close?”

“_Gods, yes_,” she moans, hips still rocking against his hand. “_Therion, I’m so close…” _

“You think you can last a bit longer?”

“_No._” She swallows roughly, trying to speak clearly between hard, ragged breaths. “_Don’t make me wait…” _

She heard him laugh again. He moves back up, giving her an affectionate gaze as he leans forward to press their lips together one last time.

It flared something else within her, something that she didn’t easily admit.

She loved him.

It didn’t take long for her arousal to reach a head, suddenly cascading out in the form of an orgasm. She cries out, waves of pleasure washing over her as she rode it out. She shudders in Therion’s hold, but despite her feeling so weak he held her close and kept her upright.

There’s a huge sense of relief afterwards, and she can’t keep herself upright anymore. She melts completely on Therion, hiding her face in the crook of his neck. He laughs -- soft and pretty -- as he slowly removes his fingers from her quim. She shivers at the sensation, but still makes no moves to actually get off of him. There’s another silence between them but it’s unlike any other they’ve shared before. It’s soft, warm, something that makes her feel loved and secure.

Despite the tenderness of it all, the only words she can manage are, “Thanks.”

Therion doesn’t respond. He stares at her for a minute, eyes narrowing slightly…

Before he bursts into a fit of giggles.

Tressa stares at him blearily, the situation slowly registering in her mind. Soon, giggles bubbled at the back of her throat, and she was laughing alongside with him.

What a ridiculous night.

“Ah, this is crazy,” she mumbles, sitting upright. “Thank you, again. For helping, I guess.”

“That should be my line.” His hands move from their indecent positions and wrap around her waist. He steadily falls back, bringing Tressa to rest over him. “Really saved my skin.”

“Shut up.” She laughs. In the moment she leans down to kiss him again. But, she realizes that they were done with their little intimate moment and withdraws, sheepish. “Whoops, we’re done now.”

“Sure are,” he replies, expression softening.

She laughs sheepishly and rubs the back of her head. “I shouldn’t get carried away, huh? No kisses unless we--”

She’s interrupted by him leaning up, tilting his head, and kissing her on the lips.

The merchant blinks, watching as Therion lays back down. He chuckles and brings his hand up to brush her bangs away from her face. “You really are too pretty.”

He’s been doing this all night. Speaking kindly to her, being patient, putting his walls down and allowing himself to express how he truly felt. Warmth blossoms in her chest and on her face. Her heartbeat begins to pound loudly in her ears.

“...Therion…” 

He raises a brow. There was a question at the back of her mind, nagging at her, causing her to worry when she felt like she shouldn’t. She just needed to know.

“...Why me?” She asks again. “Why me for all of this?”

Apprehension settles on his face for a moment, but it soon fades away into something more resolute. He cups her cheek, brushing his thumb against it as he stares at her with an expression she struggled to decipher. Was he mad? Annoyed? Did he not want her to ask, and instead keep everything casual?

He sits up again, hands moving to grip her shoulders. She blinks at him, maintaining eye contact as she saw him brace himself for what he was about to say to her.

His voice was quiet, but, like many other things tonight, genuine.

“It’s because I like you.”

**Author's Note:**

> Surprise! It's been like a year and I decided to write again.
> 
> I've grown rusty again, sadly, but that's what I get for not only not writing in a while, but writing something I'm not used to!
> 
> Anyway I just felt like writing Thressa. If I write any more octopath fics you can consider this one "noncanon" because this isn't really how I envision their relationship developing hdgfhsjf
> 
> Regarding Aeber's Scimitar... in game they don't have names, so I just gave it one. I was very tempted to call them asterisks, despite them looking nothing like that haha


End file.
